Sealing element

ABSTRACT

A sealing element particularly for sealing two parallel planar surfaces, which sealing element includes a supporting element with two or more catch or snap-fastening elements for connecting the support element to one of the planar surfaces by engaging mating areas; the sealing element also includes an elastomer element on each side of the support element facing the parallel surfaces such that each elastomer element creates a seal between the support element and a respective one of the parallel surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a sealing element.

For sealing between two components it is known to provide sealing ringsor the like. If the sealing rings should be fastened against loss to anyof the components, an interlocking gasket is usually used, which istucked or snapped manually or by machine into a matching opening in acomponent. This attachment of a gasket is very time-consuming.Especially when a large number of such sealing systems are necessary ona component, such a method of assembly becomes uneconomical.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a sealing elementwhich is of simple design, achieves a reliable seal between twocomponents, and requires only a brief time for installation. This objectis achieved by the invention as described and claimed hereinafter.

The substantial advantage of the invention is that, with one supportingelement and one or two elastomer elements a stand-alone sealing systemis created, whereby the handling of this system is substantiallyfacilitated and the system needs only to be adhered to one component orto one surface to be sealed. The sealing element can have any desiredform and can adapt optimally to the contour of the surfaces or parts tobe sealed.

If a supporting element is used for attaching an elastomer element, itis then advantageous to provide the supporting element with at least twoelastomer elements so that, on the one hand, the sealing of the supportelement to a base structure is assured, and on the other hand the sealto the part to be sealed is also assured.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the two elastomer elementsare joined to each other. Of course, it is also possible to arrange theelastomer elements in optimum positions on the support element.Preferably, the support element is an injection molded synthetic resinpart, but it can also be a sheet metal part or a part formed from asuitable material. The elastomer element is vulcanized onto the supportelement; this preferred method of fastening also can withstand greatstress in the case of an interlocking attachment.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a sealing element is used inthe air intake system of an internal combustion engine, where especiallyin the case of a switchable intake tube a plurality of moving elementsare arranged which require corresponding sealing systems.

These and additional features of preferred embodiments of the inventionwill be found not only in the claims but also in the description and thedrawings, the individual features being applicable individually orjointly in the form of subcombinations in embodiments of the inventionand in other fields and may represent advantageous as well asindependently patentable embodiments, for which protection is herebyclaimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is further explained below with reference to workingembodiments.

FIG. 1 shows a sealing element in a sectional view;

FIG. 2 shows the sealing element depicted in FIG. 1 in a plan view;

FIG. 3 shows an air intake system with sealing elements in a sectionalview;

FIG. 4 shows the system illustrated in FIG. 3 with the flap open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The sealing element according to FIG. 1 is comprised of a supportelement 10, which is a substantially open annular body which has catchelements 11, 12 and 13 distributed on the circumference. These catchelements are necessary in order to fasten the support element 10 to aflat structure not shown here. On the left side of the support element10 a flaring seal serving as an elastomer element 14 is vulcanized orinjection molded onto a contact surface 15. On the right side anelastomer element 17 is also vulcanized or injection molded onto acontact surface 16 of the support element 10. The two elastomer partscan be produced separately, and it is also possible, if connectingopenings 18 are provided on the support element along the margins of theseal and, when the elastomer element is vulcanized or injection molded,the elastomer is made to flow by appropriately great pressure throughthe connecting openings and thus to form, in a single step, an elastomerelement 14 and 17 extending along both sides.

FIG. 2 shows in a plan view the support element 10 with the catchelements 11, 12, 13, 19, 20. The elastomer element 17 is visible on theside facing the observer. On the opposite side the elastomer element 14is visible in the outer area.

FIG. 3 shows an air intake system for an internal combustion engine in aschematic sectional view. Intake air passes through the inlet opening 21into the swiveling channel 22 and from there to the outlet opening 23which is normally flange-mounted at the air intake of an internalcombustion engine. The swiveling channel 22 is mounted for rotation on ashaft 24 and bears a sealing element 26 and 27 at each of its endsfacing the base structure 25 of the intake system. As shown in FIG. 1and FIG. 2. The sealing element is fastened in each case by its catchelements to the flange surfaces 28 and 29 of the swiveling channel 22.The elastomer element 17 thereby serves respectively for sealing betweenswiveling channel 22 and support element 10, and the elastomer element14 serves for sealing between the swiveling channel and the basestructure 25.

FIG. 4 shows the intake system represented in FIG. 3 with the swivelingchannel 22 open. Like parts are identified by the same referencenumerals.

A comparison between FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 shows that the sealing elements26 and 27 are optimally fitted to the base structure 25 when theswiveling channel 22 closes.

What is claimed is:
 1. An air intake system for an internal combustionengine comprising: a base structure comprising a first planar surface;and a swivellably movable, selectively activatable intake tube sectioncomprising a second planar surface, the intake tube section beingdetachably connected to a sealing element for sealing the second planarsurface of said intake tube section to the first planar surface of thebase structure of said air intake system when said tube section is in anactivated position; wherein the sealing element comprises an injectionmolded synthetic resin support element having a plurality of catch orsnap-fastening elements, said catch or snap-fastening elements engagingmating receptacles on said intake tube section to attach said supportelement to said intake tube section, said support element comprising asubstantially open annular body carrying two elastomer elements each ofwhich produces a seal between the support element and a respective oneof the first and second planar surfaces, said elastomer elements beingarranged on opposite sides of said support element from each other andbeing vulcanized or injection molded onto the support element.
 2. An airintake system according to claim 1, wherein said two elastomer elementsare connected to each other and form a unitary article.